I am a women, can I travel solo to Palestine?: Women who travel solo are always concerned about their safety in foreign destinations. Everyone knows that being a female travelling alone is challenging but the truth is that this should not stop any woman from travelling and discovering unique places around the world.
Traveling alone in general has many advantages that will reflect on your personal character and it will add something new to your life that was unimaginable before.
Being alone in a country means that you will be responsible for everything starting from booking flights, hotel or hostel, searching for the most amazing places to visit and ending with packing your bags and being ready to fly. All of this will make you more confident to decide, choose and discover, allowing you to act without relying on anybody else and providing you with experience that you might never gain without taking that first crucial step.
In addition, being a solo traveler will make you an independent person who can act without asking others for permission or relying on their assistance.
Is Palestine a good choice to do so?
Travelling to Palestine is an exceptional opportunity for any woman. There you will have the opportunity to meet Palestinians, to live life as the locals do, to learn Palestinian Arabic, and to observe the Israeli-Palestinian conflict first-hand.
In Palestine, you would have the chance to discover a different life. You will be able to realize how people live under the Israeli occupation. Simply put, you will experience something you might not get the chance to in any other country in the world.
Jo Magpie, a woman who visited Palestine alone in December 2011 wrote on her blog about the advantages of travelling solo to Palestine. “Palestinian people are so desperate to explain their story. The first time I went to the West Bank I was invited to a Palestinian house. They even called someone who could speak Spanish to translate for me. I think being a woman made it easier. I felt quite safe in Palestine, actually.”
Palestine is well-known of being welcoming and hospitable place to international visitors. Palestinians are open to multi-cultural countries and they always eager to know people who come from all over the world. This means that as a woman you will be welcomed by the people and should expect frequent invitations for tea and coffee as per local tradition.
Everyone agrees that women in any country face extra risks in terms of security, more so than men. Women visiting in Palestine should keep the following safety tips in mind:
In general, walking at night, especially by yourself, is not the safest option. Women in Palestine do not generally walk in the streets after dark, so doing so is likely to make you stand out a little bit. Get a taxi or ask for a ride from someone you know just to be safe.
If you decide to take a private taxi, make sure to take a yellow one. You can go out with your host family if you have the chance to stay with one of them wherever and whenever you want. Palestinian host families treat internationals like their family members.
Other than this, you should feel welcome and safe during your visit to Palestine. Some people believe that a person should travel solo at least once in his or her life so immerse yourself and have an enjoyable experience!
